Hard-hitting Dave Hunt will be speaker of the Oregon House

Oregon House Democrats on Saturday elected Dave Hunt -- the man who led a supermajority takeover of the chamber last week and infuriated Republicans with his hard-hitting campaign style -- as their speaker.

His counterpart in the Senate will be President Peter Courtney, D-Salem. Together, they will lead the Legislature as it struggles to patch what's expected to be at least a $500 million shortfall in the next biennium. Lawmakers convene in January.

Hunt promised to focus on the economy and protect gains made last session in education, health care, public safety and renewable energy. He said he hoped Republicans would join them.

"We have already extended olive branches," the Clackamas County legislator said, referring to congratulatory notes he'd written to Republicans. "The mood in our caucus (today) was wanting to work across the aisle to get things done."

Elected to replace Hunt as majority leader was Portland Rep. Mary Nolan, the chamber's current budget chief.

Hunt, who turns 41 Monday, cements a centrist shift in a Democratic Party once thought to be ruled by Portland liberals.

He's a business coalition executive who considers himself friendly to both the private sector and the environment. He supports abortion rights, civil unions for gays and lesbians, and has served as president of American Baptist Churches USA.

On fiscal matters, Hunt said he's committed to raising the $10 corporate minimum tax as well as revenue for roads and other transportation needs. But he calls a sales tax regressive and said he has no interest in plugging the budget with short-term fixes next year.

"Dave is a very capable communicator. He does a good job of sitting down with people early," said Chip Terhune, chief of staff to Gov. Ted Kulongoski. "He doesn't make decisions in isolation."

As caucus leader, Hunt gets credit for recruiting strong, savvy candidates who fought for open seats and took on Republican incumbents in eight key races.

The party picked up five of those seats for a total of 36 members, enough for Democrats to raise taxes and push other policy directives without Republican votes. A possible sixth seat in House District 39 in Clackamas County looks unlikely, although ballots are still being counted and Hunt hasn't given up yet.

Money helped. Combined, the eight Democratic candidates raised and spent more than $4 million, aided generously by public unions and the House Democrats' centralized campaign committee run by Hunt.

Republicans in those races struggled to keep up. Their spending hit $2.5 million.

They also complained bitterly of Hunt's campaigning, calling it dirty and deceitful.

Democrats went after Rep. Matt Wingard, R-Wilsonville, for hitting his son with a screwdriver in 2001 and other child abuse allegations. Rep. Scott Bruun, R-West Linn, filed a lawsuit over Democrats' claims that he opposed abortion in all cases. Both men kept their seats.

"Next January the speaker is going to have to face a number of elected members he and his campaign staff personally and falsely attacked," said Nick Smith, spokesman for Rep. Bruce Hanna of Roseburg, the Republican leader.

But Smith had kinder words for Nolan, who recommended Hanna for the budget committee in 2007.

"They've often disagreed on issues, but she's always demonstrated a willingness to listen and to bring Republicans into the discussion," he said.

Nolan beat Arnie Roblan of Coos Bay and Peter Buckley of Ashland for the majority post after two rounds of voting. Reached on their cell phones Saturday afternoon, neither seemed to mind.

"For me, it was a no-lose situation both with Nolan and with Arnie Roblan," said Buckley, who will serve as majority whip.

Roblan, elected speaker pro-tem, agreed, his words barely audible above loud cheers at a Willamette University football game.